Ground Control II mission logs/NSA
Personal Journal #132, Captain Jacob Angelus Still getting used to my new rank. Seems like an odd time to be giving out promotions. The frontier has been strangely quiet for the last few weeks and now I've been ordered to Newstone with orders to clear out the Terrans garrisoned here. I'm just glad to have Sergeant Rho around to watch my back. Damn, my leg still hurts from last night. Guess I should think twice about throwing myself off a moving strider next time. Time to get back to work. If I can force Imperator Vlaana's forces out of Newstone, Major Grant will have one less front to worry about while defending New Darwin. Personal Journal #158, Captain Jacob Angelus Not good. Not good. Put my foot in it this time, haven't I? Didn't anticipate the Terrans being so tenacious. Seems Centurion Dracus didn't take too kindly to us cutting off his supply-route. Got to clear this area ASAP - make full use of our current edge, no matter how fine. Such a delicate balancing act. Let's see which side we fall on. Where the hell is Rho? I sent him on recon two hours ago. If he's gone on another one of his souvenir-hunts, he's going to be peeling Djego-roots for three weeks. Private Message from Alice McNeal, Doctor, Morningstar Science Directorate Jacon! I can't tell you how glad I am that you're coming back to New Darwin. Fighting around the capital has been so intense these last few weeks. I think we're getting close to turning it around, but our troops really need a good Captain right now. General Warhurst just sits in his office dreaming about honor and glory while Major Grant charges around the battlefield yee-hawing at everything that moves. It's getting really crazy around here. Look, I have to go. Call me as soon as you can. I can't wait to see you. - Alice Private Message to Alice McNeal, Doctor, Morningstar Science Directorate Sorry I can't make it into town just yet Alice. The General is keeping us busy. You know, out on the frontier it was different. We would guard outposts for months at a time without seeing any action. Living on field rations, longing for a hot shower. Sometimes the war didn't even seem real. Then we'd get news about a new city being torched and we'd see the footage. Cold wake up call every time. Now I get to shower every day, and every time I do, I wash away the blood of those who die under my command. - Jacob Private Message to Antonia Grant from Douglas Grant, Major NSA Defence Hey Darling. You should have been here yesterday. I think that new Captain's gonna work out just fine. I knew he had it in him. That cheap bastard Warhurst still hasn't paid up for losing our bet! Well, I gotta get going. Got a new mission to go on. You ain't gonna believe this baby, but I'm gonna get to do something that'll make you real proud to be the wife of Major D. Grant. Something that may just turn this little soirée around. Tell you all about it when I get back. - Douglas Magnetic Shield Technology, Summary by Dr. Alice McNeal, M.S.D. Our electromagnetic shields are maintained by emitter stations spread throughout our cities. Each emitter sends out a controlled magnetic pulse beam, designed to scatter at a fixed altitude pressure. Any hostile aircraft, projectile or other object containing conventional electronics will either be deactivated or destroyed when passing through it. It also means that the shields are basically ineffective at ground level. The shields are complemented by a series of counter-measures that stop any guided nuclear or other mass-destruction projectiles from breaching the perimeters. However, our cities are still open to ground assault and our planetary defenses have been set up to counter that threat. Intelligence Report, NSA Historical Document #153H, Subject: Virons Humans first came into contact with Virons after their space was violated by the rogue Corporate agent Sarah Parker, who disappeared shortly thereafter with the legendary Battleship CSS Astrid under mysterious circumstances. In the years that followed, attempts were made to establish relations with the Virons, but these met with little success. The Virons proved to be extremely reclusive and xenophobic. We know little else about them except that they are bipeds and use nano-organic technology. When negotiations with them failed, reports began coming of battles being fought in the Ragnarok Nebula, the unconfirmed location of the Viron homeworld. Officially, no further contact has been had with the Virons since that time. Private Message from Sergeant Tai Han Rho to Captain Jacob Angelus Boss, I got some info for you. I tapped into the GenNet secure channels and overheard some stuff. The brass are really tight-lipped about this thing but here's what I found out. That box you brought back is old. Really old, and it came from the Ragnarok Nebula. That's Viron space, Boss! I also heard mention of something called a "singularity drive", some kind of weird old hyper-engine tech. Sounded like they were real worried about it, like it was dangerous or something. That's about it. It isn't much but if I hear more, I'll let you know ASAP. - Rho NSA Intelligence Data File #97651A: the Interstellar Trade Guild The Guild of Traders grew into a galactic power shortly after the fall of the corporations during the Interstellar War. With the strictly controlled markets now unregulated, the once outlawed Traders could operate without fear of disruption or arrest. To some, they are saviors, bringing much-needed commerce to isolated worlds. To others, they are merely pirate-filth, preying on the needy. While their technology is archaic compared to that of the Terran Empire, their skill and commitment to their work makes them formidable adversaries. Captured Trader operatives were a rare sight even during the last interstellar war. Traders do not take sides in any conflict. "A client is just a client", is one of their popular sayings. They will trade with anyone, but once a contract has been signed, they follow it to the letter with an almost fanatical commitment. Virons and Zethane (an excerpt) - by Alice McNeal, Doctor of Xenotechnic Sciences, New Darwin Intercolonial University Preliminary findings of the information gained in the Rhevan Islands indicate that the Terrans are using Virons as a slave army, and that this army is being led by a Viron called Ghall Vicath. The Science Directorate has learned that the Viron home planet, located in the Ragnarok Nebula, had an atmosphere composed mainly of the rare trace gas Zethane that these reclusive aliens need to survive. When the Terrans invaded their world, they released toxins into the atmosphere, destroying all Zethane present. With all breathable air gone, the surviving Virons were forced to take refuge in their enormous Clan Ships, roaming through space as nomads. The Terrans forced them into slavery, making them fight in exchange for the gas. To this end, the Empire has set up huge Zethane mining industries on several planets, most notably Karrakea-4 and Krig-7B. Viron Society (an excerpt) - by Alice McNeal, Doctor of Xenotechnic Sciences, New Darwin Intercolonial University When the atmosphere of their planet was poisoned by the Terrans, the Virons had no choice but to take to space in their enormous Clan Ships. Each clan has their own ships, and they lumber through space followed by many smaller escorts. Viron clans are led by an Elder, called a VICATH. So far we have had contact with two of the seven Viron clans - the Hroag and the Kre'Haz. The latter is led by a Viron called Ghall Vicath. Apparently, this clan is freely allied with the Terrans, fighting with them regardless of their Zethane dependency. The Hroag, on the other hand, have steadfastly refused to cooperate. Their leader, Drahk'Mar Vicath, is the main instigator of a growing revolution against the Emperor - willingly risking the extinction of the entire Viron race over living as slaves. Viron society relies on a strict code of honor, and Drahk'Mar Vicath has labeled Ghall and the entire Clan Kre'Haz as traitors. Personal Journal #294, Captain Jacob Angelus Imperator Vlaana and her cronies hunting us at every turn... alien clans fighting other alien clans... secret projects... probably involving said aliens... I don't see how we could fight alongside a race that is so different from us. We barely understand each other. I can't see a solution here. All the General does is walk around shaking hands (or should that be claws)... preaching about principles and duty... while the Terrans tighten a rope around all our throats. I feel like I'm cleaning a rifle that I don't have any ammo for. Encrypted Message from Sergeant Rho Boss, I got something for you. I caught a conversation between a couple of people on the Science Council. I didn't really get it all but they were talking about the Doc's project. They said something about "gateways" and the Doc having the key to it all. They're real worried that we can't get her back before the Imps dig out her brains. Boss, you know I like the Doc a lot. If you wanna go in and get her back, count me in. - Rho Personal Journal #367, Captain Jacob Angelus I have just received word that a mutual defense treaty has been signed with the Viron Clan Hroag. We are to join forces in trying to fight off the Terrans. I still don't know if I trust them. I keep thinking of Major Grant and what happened to Antonia. Still, Alice seems to think they are sincere, and she has always had good instincts for this kind of thing. Even if they can be trusted, what good will it do us? Ghall Vicath and Imperator Vlaana are still in control of an enormous army. At best, we can only hold off the inevitable for a little while longer. Alice said the Viron alliance could buy us time. Time for what? I know there's something big going on and I imagine it has to do with that pod that crashed in New Darwin. They better bloody tell us what's going on soon, or someone's going to riot. Category:Ground Control II source texts